Holiday Bakeries

Ohio-made libations. The spot’s Sazerac cocktail will transport you to the bayou, as will its New Orleans-style cuisine. Although Wadsworth Brewing Co. and Valley Cafe opened in 2017 and 2015, respectively, the owners of each have both already expanded their downtown footprint. Wadsworth Brewing Co. opened its UnWined cocktail and wine bar right next door, while Valley Cafe owners BJ and Nicole Mikoda looked across the street for their new project: Dolce at the Strand, a gelato, dessert and cocktail spot housed in a former movie theater. Serving inventive gelatos made using Italian equipment, Dolce has become a happening hangout thanks in part to its patio bocce ball courts.

“We really became intrigued with what we were a part of in the revitalization of downtown,” says Nicole. “We asked ourselves, ‘What else could we do to make downtown Wadsworth a destination?’ We wanted to give people more than one thing to do.”

That sentiment — creating a downtown that residents and visitors alike want to explore — is echoed by Patrick.

“We want to give people as many reasons as possible to come downtown and have something unique to see,” she says. “People choose Wadsworth because it’s close to other cities and the good schools, but then it’s just kind of icing on the cake that we have this vibrant downtown that’s on the rise.”

(Clockwise from top): Playground in Memorial Park; a quiet residential street; gelato at Dolce at The Strand

’Tis the Sweet Season

Whether you’re looking for Old World flavors or local favorites that have been delighting customers for years, you’ll find them at these classic bakeries.

Schnecken

Busken Bakery•Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s Busken Bakery has made a name for itself by crafting schnecken, a pastry that takes its name from the German word for “snail.”

“The dough is rolled in a long rope,” says Brian Busken, the bakery’s vice president. “When the dough is cut into pieces, the tops have a coiled, snail-like appearance … I always describe schnecken as big, rich cinnamon rolls, the biggest difference being that schnecken has a lot more butter.”

Busken Bakery’s schnecken are made in special molds lined with softened butter. The dough is then rolled with more butter, cinnamon sugar and raisins before being cut into coils and stacked in threes in the mold. What’s unique about Busken’s recipe is that it comes from Cincinnati’s famous Virginia Bakery. Busken reached out to Tom Thie, owner of Virginia Bakery, who was closing down his nearly century-old shop and made a deal to re-create Thie’s famous recipe.

“I’ll never forget the moment when I asked Tom for the schnecken formula so that we could begin producing them,” Busken recalls. “He looked at me and pointed to his head. ‘It’s right up here,’ he said with a grin.”

Busken follows Thie’s exact techniques, even packaging the final product in replica Virginia Bakery-branded boxes.

“The Virginia Bakery Schnecken is untouchable,” he says. “It was refined by the Thie family for generations and in my opinion is the perfect holiday baked good.”

Busken Bakery’s schnecken is sold from Nov. 1 to Jan. 1, with a brief re-emergence for Easter. The bakery recommends pre-ordering, as it runs out every year. — Nicholas Dekker

Locations in Cincinnati, Batavia and Highland Heights, Kentucky, busken.com

Sfogliatelle

Corbo’s Bakery•Cleveland ***

Bite into freshly baked sfogliatelle and you will hear an audible crackle of the leaf-like pastry layers (or foglia). Once you hit the creamy, aromatic custard inside, you won’t mind the cascade of flaky crumbs and sugar on your shirt one bit.

Corbo’s is one of few bakeries making sfogliatelle from scratch. Joe Corbo crafts the pastry the same way he was taught by his father, John, and his grandparents, Joe and Antoinette, who founded the bakery in 1958 with recipes they brought over from Sicily.

“I love the aroma of this crunchy, soft pastry baking in the oven. It takes me back and brings happiness and tears because it reminds me of my father and grandfather,” says Valerie Corbo, Joe’s sister. “The hours spent making them is pure dedication and passion.”

Sfogliatelle are traced to 16th-century Naples, Italy. It is said that a nun created a filling of semolina, egg and dried fruit and stuffed it into a pastry shaped like a monk’s hood. Two centuries later, an innkeeper-turned-baker was credited with making the adjustments resulting in sfogliatelle riccia, the kind Corbo’s makes.

When baked, sfogliatelle fan out into a clamshell shape. Layers of crispy ridges catch a generous sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar. The filling is ricotta and candied orange peel. If you get one fresh out of the oven … La vita è bella! — Lisa Sands

12210 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland 44106, 216/421-8181, corbosbakery.net

christmas danish

Resch’s Bakery, Columbus ***

Situated on Columbus’ east side, the family-run Resch’s Bakery has been selling fresh breads, rolls, cakes and doughnuts since 1912. Amidst the holiday-themed offerings like Christmas tree cookies, stollen, pecan snowballs and date squares are wreathshaped Christmas Danishes.

The large pastries, which can also be ordered in Christmas tree shapes, are generously coated with white icing, green sprinkles and red candies. The Christmas tree versions are iced and sprinkled, then additionally loaded with an almond and pecan filling.

Current owner Frank Resch is the fifth generation to run the family bakery. He started working there when he was 12.

“But I would come up and sweep the floor when I was 7 or 8 instead of watching cartoons on Saturday,” he adds. “We would get the phone call and Mom would drive me up to the bakery. I probably didn’t really do anything, but in my mind, I was really helpful.”

These days, one of Resch’s sons works the bakery, too, making it six generations to carry on the family business. Resch estimates the bakery has been offering Christmas Danishes since the 1940s or ’50s. He figures the bakery crafts about 50 to 100 each year, and customers need to order them ahead of time. “It’s pretty time consuming,” he adds, “but it’s a unique item.” — ND

4061 E. Livingston Ave., Columbus 43227, 614/237-7421, reschsbakery.com

Springerle Cookies

Wixey Bakery•Toledo

These beautiful white German cookies have been a mainstay at Wixey since 1930. The raised ornament atop each is created by a single press — a Wixey family heirloom — that measures 6-by-9 inches. With hundreds of dozens of these cookies made every year, that’s a lot of hands-on time. Plus, these simple cookies taste great, too: Their pretty appearance is complemented by a light, anise flavor, chewy center, and airy, crisp crust on top. The bakery achieves this by letting the cutouts air dry for up to 6 hours before baking. 2017 Glendale Ave., Toledo 43614, 419/382-6684, facebook.com/ wixeybakery — Ruth Corradi Beach

Chinese Tea Cookies

Kennedy’s Bakery•Cambridge

Patty Kennedy, who owns the bakery with her brother Bobby, doesn’t know the origin of this treat’s name. The recipe came from the siblings’ grandfather who bought the bakery in 1925. The thumbprint cookies taste like a cross between a shortbread and a wedding cookie, with a dense and crumbly center that pairs perfectly with tea. The icing on each is the same one the bakery uses on its Danishes and doughnuts: a thin buttercream that is colored to reflect the season. Try the original with pecans or the even more popular nutfree variety. 1025 E. Wheeling Ave., Cambridge 43725, 740/432-2301, kennedysbakery.com — RCB